MLF Old Press Ghosts?

[saddlebronze]

I bought an old wine press (like 1940's) and refinished it with food grade paint after blasting it with ground walnut shells. I then scrubbed it in soda ash before and misted with meta before my first pressing. Any chance that some old MLF made it through the process? I don't care because I am not putting kits through it and will be buying MLF cultures for my grapes, but was just curious, since bacteria are pretty tough creatures.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Being from the 1940's, I don't believe that they were putting their wine through MLF, if it happened spontaneously, that's another story all together.

 

[berrycrush]

What's wrong if some "old MLF" did survive? They would do the job and you wouldn't have to spend money on bacteria

 

[saddlebronze]

That's what I was thinking might be good to have some old ghosts around

 

[Pumpkinman]

I believe that as with most bacteria, they need oxygen, a food source and most times, moisture and the correct temps. When making wine, we create the perfect environment for bacteria, hence the focus on stabilizing our wine.
I don't believe that MLB could survive for years in wood that had dried, although it may be possible, plus if it was natural/wild MLB we don't know if it is a desirable strain.

 

[JohnT]

Just to add to what Pumpkinman said...

I would find it very unlikely that any MLF bacteria would survive, and find it even more unlikely that any MLF ever cam in contact with the press in the first place....

MLB is a rather new discovery and it originated in France. I do not believe that there are any strains that are native to the USA..

Additionally, MLB cultures are usually added much later in the process than pressing, so presses normally remain MLB free.

One last though is that I believe that MLB is rather delicate. 30-40ppm is the SO2 limit for most MLBs. MLB is also very sensitive to PH. Seems that between the blasting and two levels of chemical cleansers (K-Meta and Ash), you would have killed any unlikely lingering cultures.

 

[saddlebronze]

I think you guys are right, MLF is probably too delicate to have survived. I had a Seyval go through spontaneous MLF in the 1980's but I have no idea where it came from. I did not inoculate.